Gonna Love You Forever
by AngelxCollins
Summary: A pretty girl with a bow in her hair named Angel meets a young man, Thomas Collins, who's being drafted to the Vietnam War.
1. Finding the Love

It was January 23, 1972. There was a young girl working at the Life Café, her name was Angel Dumott Schunard. There was a light blue bow in hair, accentuating her already gorgeous features. She was only fourteen, but decided she was old for her age.

Angel looked over at a pretty lonely looking booth. There was a young man, only around eighteen, she figured. He had a gloomy presence about him. Being the peace-maker Angel had been raised to be, she casually pulled out her order book.

"Hey… Can I take your order?" She smiled. He looked a little shy. His breath came out in a bit of a shudder.

"Oh, um, yeah. I was wondering," she got her pen ready, "would you like to sit down…? I'm just waiting f-for the bus. And I'm feeling a little low."

Angel smiled again, "Of course. Well, tell you what. I get off an hour. I know a place where we can go."

He truly looked thankful, "I'm Collins, by the way."

"Angel."

An hour later the two sat together under a tree near the shore. Collins had broken down and started to sob on Angel's shoulder.

"I'm getting drafted to the war in Vietnam… You probably have a boyfriend, but, I-I don't have anyone to write to…"

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry."

They gazed into each other's eyes, lovingly. They leaned in and their lips meant. Sparks went flying, after a couple seconds they pulled back, smiling.

Collins ran a hand over his buzz-cut hair; he took a deep breath, "I'm really sorry, Angel… the bus is waiting now…" He noticed he was still holding onto her hand, "Promise me you'll write?"

"I promise! And Collins," she whispered, "I'll never hold another's boy hand. Our love won't end."

His eyes filled with tears once again, "I'll be back one day… I love you."

"I love you, too."

Two weeks later, Angel woke up early in the morning. She tied a pink bow in her hair and put on her morning jacket. She cheerfully strolled over to the post office, which happened to be placed right across the street from the Life Café.

She greeted the post master, "Any mail for the Schunard residence? We're box one forty-four." He nodded and handed her a letter from a 'Thomas Collins'.

Her eyes grew wide and she carefully pulled the flap.

_My dear Angel,_

_I think about your smile every day. Right now we're stationed in an army camp. It's in California. If I could get back right now to New York, it wouldn't be soon enough. I think of your promise to never stop loving me. And I have to promise the same back to you. I think I have fallen for you, Angel, with all of my heart and soul._

_When I come back from the war, I will take you out from work for a walk. We can hold hands in the park and talk until neither of us can keep our eyes open. We'll be so in love that we will be married off and live in a little cabin by the pier that we had our first chat. No one will have enough strength to keep us apart._

_I dream this war will end at any day. After we are united once again we will go to school so we are well educated and can pass our knowledge down to our own children. Until then I'll keep you in my heart and mind._

_All of my love to you,_

_Thomas Collins_

Her eyes filled with tears, oh how she was smitten.

She spent many nights dreaming of the one day they had spent together. Her mother and father had become worried that her studies were falling.

"Angel," her mother started, "this boy obsession isn't healthy. You are too young to have experienced love; you will not know what it is until you are much older and wiser."

"No, Momma. I'm in love with Collins, he means everything to me and we'll spend our whole lives together."

"Angel…" she tried. But Angel wouldn't hear it. Until Collins would come back and be able to show his love to her mother, she would hold onto his letters.

Angel answered every single letter he would send.

Another letter came a few weeks later.

_My life, my love, my Angel,_

_I've been sent off to Vietnam. I am scared, but I'll keep you in my heart to keep me fighting. I won't be able to right for a while, but I don't want you to worry._

_I am sorry to hear that your mother doesn't believe our love. The two of us know all too well, so it will never matter as long as you have in mind I am truly, deeply in love with you. I hope to see your pretty smile again very soon._

_Our love won't die,_

_Thomas Collins_

She wrote back the very next day, her heart filled with hope and love.

A few weeks went by and she had no letters, that didn't mean anything though. He had told her there wouldn't be any for a while.

After another week she had been invited to the football game to cheer on her school and show a little spirit. Angel wished Collins would be able to share the joy of sipping cocoa on the bleachers and cheering for the home team.

The sports announcer sat in the heated booth and read the Lord's Prayer after the National Anthem had been sung, "Would everyone please bow their heads in silence for a list of the local Vietnam dead."

Several names were listed, Angel saw a boy from the school marching band, he played the piccolo, she wondered if a loved one of had been killed. She looked at him with sympathy. The announcer continued an endless list, Angel's spirit fell when she heard:

"_Thomas Collins._" And no one cried for him.

Except a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair.

**This is based on the song Travelin' Soldier, which is like so sad. And I had more to it, where Collins really came back after the war, but I thought it might take away from the story. xD I don't own RENT, or the Dixie Chicks. :P Much love, Muffy!!**


	2. Deleted Scenes

Years had gone by since the night eighteen year-old Thomas Collins' name was pronounced deceased at the football game. Angel had been true to her commitment. Not once had the thought of holding another boy's hand crossed her mind. She wouldn't stop loving him. She had made a promise.

Angel had already received her high school diploma; she was now in the process of enrolling in college. She still lived at home, the area held too many memories for her to want to leave.

It was April 30, 1975. The Vietnam War had ended. All of the young men that had been drafted would be welcomed home the next day.

Angel and her parents would be attending the welcome-home ceremony. Angel was overly thrilled, the only reason they were going was because her uncle had been sent in during the last month of battle.

A huge army bus pulled to the curb of City Hall, cheers were heard the whole town. Many a tears were shed that night. Little girls and boys were finding their daddies; some of the men had been gone for months. Others had been in Vietnam or training for years.

Angel retied the ribbon in her hair; she needed _something_ to distract her from this whole ordeal. She could feel tears threatening to spill out of her pretty eyes.

There had been a young man watching her adjust her bow, his face had a smile no one could match. He ran as fast as he could towards the face he dreamed of every night. He hoped with all his heart she hadn't found someone else to love.

He was still behind her when she finally let her hand fall down. He slipped his hand into hers.

Tears streamed down her face. _Why would anyone do this to me? I lost my love… I promised. I _promised_ I would never hold another guy's hand._ She turned her body towards the culprit. "What do you wan-" she stopped and her whole body shook, "Oh my god. C-Collins?"

Collins grabbed her by the waist, pulling her into the biggest, best hug she'd ever gotten. The tears kept coming; she tried to form a sentence. Anything.

"But the game… the letters… you… They said you were dead! And the letters didn't co-" she was cut off again, this time by a sweet kiss. Her body fell into his. Two souls entwined once again after years of separation.

"I'm alive as ever, sweetheart. The base… they wouldn't let me send any letters, said I devoted to much time for a girl that was too young for me."

"But… they said you were dead."

"I got shot out in the battlefield; I was in pretty bad shape. Probably didn't think I'd make it."

The couple's love was so bright it could light up the whole night's sky six times over.

Why did Collins choose that booth back at the Life Café on the day Angel was working? They were meant to be.


End file.
